The ideas presented in this proposal center on developing a new versatile chiral synthesis of the antitumor antibiotic (=)-methylenomycin A. The projected synthesis makes use of (-)-carvone as a starting material thus avoiding a resolution step. A snythesis of the insect poison pederin in optical active form is also planned. This compound is said to be the most powerful antimetabolite known (effective at concentrations less than 10 ng/ml). The difficulty in obtaining a supply of this substance has hampered research on its potential utility, thus underlining the need for an efficient synthesis. (-)-Carvone will again serve as the optically active starting material. Finally exploratory work on the use of (+) or (-) carvone as a starting material for the synthesis of other natural products of biological importance will be undertaken.